Thiago Motta has departed Inter for Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day, so coach Claudio Ranieri could shuffle his pack into a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Wesley Sneijder playing in the playmaker position behind the strikers.

As for the absentees, Diego Forlan and Dejan Stankovic remain on the sidelines and Sulley Muntari sealed a move to city rivals AC Milan.

On the other side of the pitch, Palermo are looking for their third win in a row and in-form veteran Fabrizio Miccoli should line up alongside Igor Budan with Josip Ilicic in the trequartista role once again for boss Bertolo Mutti. Goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, still co-owned by Inter, impressed in the recent 2-0 win over Novara and will be looking to do the same against the Nerazzurri.

Young Uruguayan striker Abel Hernandez is nearing full fitness, but should still miss this particular encounter and midfielder Luigi Della Rocca has picked up a fever, defensive midfielder Armin Bacinovic is still a month away from a comeback due to an injury to his left meniscus.

DID YOU KNOW?

Inter ended a run of seven consecutive league victories in a row on the weekend when they suffered a 1-0 defeat away to Lecce.

Diego Milito has struck five times against Palermo since joining Inter in 2009, his favourite target as a member of the blue-and-black squad along with AC Milan.

Juventus were the last side to score more than one goal against Inter in league play, during a 2-1 triumph for the Turin-based side in October.

Palermo have won their last two matches (over Genoa and Novara) after enduring a spell of seven matches without a victory.

The Rosanero's 4-3 win over Inter on the opening day of the 2011-12 campaign was their first victory against the Nerazzurri since 2005.

The Sicilian outfit have yet to win on the road this season, collecting three draws and seven defeats. They have only scored twice away from home this campaign.